The Marriage Agreement
by Pheria
Summary: When the lives of Karbelnikoffs are once again threatened, the only way to seek security is for Anissina to have political marriage. And the one she has to marry is... Gwendal!
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

**It's been very long since the last time I wrote on . Well, I had much to do and when I got time to do some stories, I just didn't have the right , or perhaps, the best ideas, and so, I didn't write. But, today, I got something inside my mind and pretty much hoped to share in here. So, here I go...**

** Please forgive me if there are mistakes in grammar (I feel like I'm new to writing due to my long break).**

* * *

"Quick! Shut the gate!" the captain exclaimed. "All soldiers, prepare yourself!"

It was not one of the usual peaceful days in the Karbelnikoff's territory. The soldiers were having serious faces on them rather than the usual relax face. They were running from their barrack to the manor's assembly point. The briefing wasn't long due to the situation they now faced, the captain only gave them one simple order: Defend the Karbelnikoffs and get rid of the enemy.

"Yessir!" they all answered.

"Now, go!" the captain said and all the soldiers went to their own post in a hurry.

**Meanwhile, inside the Karbelnikoff's manor...**

"Brother, what's happening here?" Anissina asked her brother as she prepared her cannonball. "Help me with the preparation."

"Have you forgotten that we're the last Karbelnikoffs, Anissina?" Densham asked her as he did what she told him to.

"Why now?" she asked, or rather exclaimed. "We never got attacked before."

"Did I forget to tell you that we're on crisis right now?" Her brother laughed as he pushed the machine nearing the window. "Remember, the last expedition was a failure."

"Don't laugh, you silly big brother!" Anissina exclaimed, she gazed sharply at his brother and then said, "I'll save you this time."

She got her cannonball ready and shot it to their enemy's direction, then, she murmured, summoning her magic and thunder suddenly stroke the enemy.

And then, they could hear the soldiers screaming "Yay! We win!"

"Anissina!" her brother, Densham, looked at her with glass-like blue eyes. "Thank you, dear sister! I know I could count on you!"

"Next time, you defend your own manor yourself, dearest brother!"

* * *

Anissina entered her lab with a frown in her face. She couldn't believe that her brother was such an idiot, and how he could become the head of the Karbelnikoffs with that little intelligence. She did respect her brother's luck (and perhaps, calculations) in business, but he didn't really have all the things a leader need to preserve a territory. He could only do business, a pure businessman. Perhaps, this was the end of the Karbelnikoffs as nobles, because she was not into politics as well.

Densham and she were the last of Karbelnikoffs. The rest of their kin had died for the sake of attaining the glory of being nobles, in a war that happened about five hundred years ago. That was long before Anissina and her brother were born. It was the era when their father was only a businessman looking for an easier and better way to do business. Suddenly business turned into war, and even though their kin won the war, only their father survived until old age because most of them were assassinated by their enemies. It could be concluded that the Karbelnikoff's territory was not really safe for the Karbelnikoffs. So many people wanted to kill them to be the next noble family. Because unlike the other nobles that had been nobles for a long time, the Karbelnikoffs were new to the nobility and they were only merchants before they became one of the nobles, that would explain how the other nobles sometimes didn't consider the Karbelnikoffs as a noble family.

But, Anissina had always wondered why her brother, her father and herself were never really exposed to that danger. She never even realized that her life was ever in danger before her father died. It was always so peaceful, except

"I see, that's why father always brought me to the Gwendal's territory," she said to herself while taking her screwdriver from her toolbox. "Or the Blood Pledge castle." She put away the screwdriver, changing her mind, then, she took a pencil and a piece of paper and went to her desk, drawing her new project. "And father said, I would save the family, if anything should happen, I wonder if he could foresee what I am doing now." She continued working while talking to herself. "Or did he mean I should become the head of the family? My women emancipation movement could be the reason for that," she said and frowned. "I guess, no."

Anissina put her pencil away. She took a deep breath and stood up, 'I guess, I need to talk with my brother,' she thought. 'Before the worst happens.'

* * *

Anissina didn't knock at her brother's door, she opened the door and went inside, finding her brother sitting on the side of his bed. His face, though still looked as mischievous as before now had a worried expression.

"Why didn't you knock?" he asked.

"Did I ever knock when I come here?" she asked him back.

"Ah, right, I forgot. It's because you're rarely around," he smiled.

"You're worried," she said as she walked closer to her brother. Densham looked away from her. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have said that to you."

"That's okay," he said. "I wasn't as strong as you anyway. The head of this family should be you, you're smart and you can use your magic," Densham said. "The enemies are attacking us, knowing that it'd be super easy to defeat me, a noble without magic."

"Brother," Anissina murmured as her icy cold expression earlier turned into a sad one. "I'm sure father pick you as his successor because he was sure that you are capable to be one."

Densham looked at her sister for a moment and turned his eyes away again. Avoiding her gaze and didn't say anything.

"You remember," Anissina continued after a moment of silence, "when father died, he left us that letter, the one he said we should open if any dangers should occur in this land."

Densham eyes widened and she looked at Anissina with eyes full of hope.

Anissina smiled and said, "I think now is the time."

* * *

_'Dear Densham and Anissina,_

_I hope both of you are doing well now, but I guess you two are facing a dire situation if you're reading this letter now. I hope, by opening this letter you could find a way to deal with your situation, but before that, I want to tell you the story of our family. I actually want to tell you directly myself before I died, but looks like the time was never right. So, I'll tell you really quick, so both of you would understand and perhaps, you could get out of your bad situations. '_

"I could hear father laughing at us," Anissina said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Densham nodded at her.

_'So, when I was young, I wanted to be the greatest merchant in Shinmakoku. I'm sure you both knew about that. And that time, Shinmakoku had just conquered a new land and wanted to have a new noble family who could be trusted to rule that land. That new land had a crowded harbor, a real good market and people, and it was also near my birthplace, so, I sent a letter to the Maou, hoping that I would pass the requirements to be one of the nobles. I didn't know why, but looks like that Shinou was on my side, the Maou interviewed me and I passed. I became a noble, all of our kin became nobles. We were very happy and we build a manor for ourselves not long after that.'_

"I didn't know it was very easy to become one of the nobles," Densham said as he took the second page of the letter.

_'But, even though we had gained support from most of the people, there were some people who didn't like us. They all gathered in a group called 'anti-Karbelnikoffs' and tried to attack us. Knowing that, the Maou sent the head of von Voltaire, the most fearsome of the nobles, to protect us, that was Gwendal's father. He was really strong, all of our enemies were frightened of him, but they were too proud to just give up because of that one man. During his stay here, von Voltaire and I became friends. He was certainly not the type to talk much, but I got a feeling that he really cared about us. That's why sometimes I regret using him as my shield to save our family.'_

Densham and Anissina looked at each other and began to read the next part of the paper.

_'Our enemies then began to turn their attention to von Voltaire. They knew they must have him killed before they could kill us. And I don't know whether it was luck or fate, I dropped von Voltaire's glass of wine and when the cat licked the wine, it died. His glass was poisoned. He thanked me for saving his life and promised me I could ask anything from him. I told him that he must shared twenty percents of his territory's income with us and if danger should come again to our house, he must save our family in a way that would profit him and I.'_

"How?" Anissina asked, as if she was asking to her father. She took the next piece of paper.

_'So, I ask for his son to be my daughter's fiance if I should ever have a daughter, and if the danger should occur in the next generation, the agreement will still be valid too for our grandchildren. I thought it would be good for my business and the future of our family would be secure to have his blood within us if we ever need it. We would become the real noble family with noble blood within us. And he was delighted that all of them were such an easy request. So, that's it. Anissina, that was how you were betrothed to Gwendal, but this agreement only valid if we should face a dire situation, or you would be free to choose your love. If you marry him, all things would be secured, Densham and your lives and our position as nobles. The last piece of paper is the agreement between von Voltaire and I. It has our signs, so, show it to Gwendal and it would go as I had planned. And Densham, my advice for you is do your business well next time. Love, father.'_

"What..." Anissina murmured. "Whattt!?" she exclaimed. "I never knew of this. Father never told me!"

"Well, if you asked me, I didn't know about this too, sister," Densham said. "Why don't we ask Gwendal about this? He might know something."

Anissina nodded. "I'll send him a letter."

"No, I think, you should go see him," Densham said. "Letters take too much time. Take the agreement with you."

And so, that's how all these twists began.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

**Well, another story of my favorite couple, Gwendal and Anissina. In this story I want to explore more about the Karbelnikoffs and I hope you guys are as curious as I am about the family. I gues this story won't have too many chapters cos the holiday season is nearly over. Though it's a bit late, I wish you a merry little christmas and though it's a bit early, happy new year!**

**I'm looking forward to read your reviews, if you have the time to write one. :)**

**Well, see you on the next chapter.**

**Bye! :D**

**~Pheria~**


	2. Chapter 2: The Beginning

**Hi...**

**This is the 2nd chapter of 'The Marriage Agreement'.**

**Well, I have nothing much to say, but thanks for reading the 1st chapter and continuing to to this chapter. **

**Alright, let's just start this chapter... Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Gwendal was tired. He'd been doing the paperwork the whole day and even skipped his lunch just to finish them all in order to go back to his own territory. He had left his territory for too long and he thought he should checked if everything was fine. He looked out of his window and took a deep breath. 'Such a peaceful day,' he thought and a smile was shown on his face. It was an unusual occurrence for him to smile, but sometimes it just happened whenever he was alone or with his favorite cat. He rose from his seat and then went closer to his window, looking at the soldiers and maids on the castle ground running around for some reasons that he didn't know, but he enjoyed watching that scene, even though it kept repeating itself day after day.

Suddenly he felt a chill running on his spine. 'A bad feeling...,' he thought. 'Anissina, perhaps? But, she wasn't in this castle. Ah, maybe I think too much. There won't be anything bad on such a fine day.' He tried to shake the feeling out of his mind. Then, the door to his study was opened. Gwendal turned his eyes to the door.

"A... Anissina? Why are you here?" he asked, a frown was on his face, and his voice was heavy though he couldn't hide there was fear hidden in it.

Anissina went closer to him and Gwendal cleared his throat, wondering what business brought the red-haired woman there. But, there was something different about Anissina that day that made Gwendal understood that she wasn't going to use him to test her inventions, that relieved him a little. But, still Anissina with her serious-looking face was bothering him a little. Anissina was never serious when she talked to him, that serious face was only shown when she was with Suzanna Julia von Wincott, her best friend.

"Gwendal...," she started, but was confused how to continue. "I told you last month that my brother's last expedition wasn't going well, do you remember?"

Gwendal nodded as he once again took a seat, readied himself to listen to her.

"Now, some people who didn't like us being nobles are attacking us and we're on no condition to hold them for too long," she explained.

"So, you're asking me for some supplies, and perhaps, protection?" he said.

Anissina nodded.

"I do respect our friendship, Anissina, I would have helped you if your territory is attacked by outsiders, or maybe another noble family, but, the ones who attacked you guys were from inside your own territory. The anti-Karbelnikoffs, right?" Gwendal asked her.

"As expected from you, Gwendal, you catch on real fast" said Anissina and a smile escaped her lips. She looked deep inside his eyes and continue. "Then, I don't need to explain much more about this. Will you help me or not?"

"I told you earlier that I would have helped you if you're attacked by outsiders, but this is the problem within your own territory, I can't meddle in your territory's problem. I wondered why your family hasn't got rid of that organization," he said. "If I were you, I would have done that a long time ago. I wouldn't wait for the situation to get this bad to get rid of them all."

"I know, we should've done that. I thought, that organization has long gone. But, it hasn't," Anissina said and realized that was a poor excuse.

"It's your own territory, Anissina. Your brother and you, I wonder what your father taught you about managing a land," Gwendal said.

"Don't you dare bringing my father in this, I won't forgive you, though you're a friend," she said and clenched her teeth, her light blue eyes showed anger and she pounded her fist on his desk. "I know, my brother and I, we both never care about the politics like you do. He only has business in his mind and I, science and the women emancipation movement, but still, we're nobles, just like you."

"I'm sorry, if I said too much," Gwendal apologized. "I'll help you to find a way out of this situation, is that alright with you? That's the only thing I can do for you."

"No, you can do much more, sir," Anissina said. Gwendal could see anger still radiated from her eyes. "This is for you."

She handed him the old paper.

"What is this?" Gwendal asked before untying the ribbon.

"An agreement," she answered coldly. "Just read it yourself. Make sure you help me if you don't want me to show it to your mother, my friend."

* * *

_'The Marriage Agreement_

_If von Karbelnikoffs were facing dangers they can't resolve or their lives were ever once again in danger, I, von Voltaire, for the sake of our friendship, will help them by arranging a marriage between my son and von Karbelnikoff's daughter. If the danger should occur in the era after our son and daughter, this agreement will still be valid for our descendants.'_

Gwendal read it carefully over and over again. There were two signs on the agreement, one was supposed to be Anissina's father's, and the other was supposed to belong to his father. It was his father's.

"How did you get this, Anissina?" he asked.

"My father left it for my brother and I before he died," she answered.

"Is that why you came looking for me, instead of the Maou?" he asked. "Hoping that you would able to blackmail me if I didn't agree to help you."

She didn't say anything and let him continue.

"It's no use blackmailing me. I could just marry you and help you with your problem, that's easy for me, but, that wasn't easy for you, you have your movements and such, and this agreement is totally against all of your principles," he said. "You hate arranged marriage."

Anissina took the agreement from Gwendal. Her anger was all gone and she realized that Gwendal was right, she hated arranged marriage and that agreement was all about that. Anissina looked deeply inside Gwendal's eyes and took a deep breath. "Sorry," she murmured.

"That's alright. I was too harsh on you earlier," he said. "Do you still need my help?"

Anissina smiled and nodded.

* * *

_'Dear Densham,_

_I think Gwendal didn't know about that agreement either and anyway, I couldn't get his help on supplies and such, but, he offered us his advice regarding the strategies and how to manage the whole thing. Would that suffice brother?_

_I was going to blackmail him earlier but it looked like he knew that both of us didn't want this marriage so, my blackmailing strategy was a total failure. But, I do thank him for clearing my head._

_I would return soon, so you don't need to reply this letter, brother.'_

"Go!" Anissina said as she let go off the messenger bird.

'But, it would still be hard to win only with my magic, my inventions, and Gwendal's strategy,' Anissina thought. 'I guess, I would need to use a bit of force on Gwendal this time.'

Anissina took a small bottle from her pocket, looking at it for a while and clenched it hard within her palm. Her heart then beat really fast before she put the bottle back to her pocket and went to the dining hall for dinner.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

**Well, that's it for the second chapter. I hope you guys are satisfied with this... :)**

**Just wanna tell you that I changed the 'two thousand years ago' into 'five hundred years ago'. I think two thousand is a bit too long, and their parents wouldn't have been born too on that time. Sorry for this :(**

**Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you look forward to the next one. One more thing, I would be really glad if you send me some reviews, well, that is if you got a spare time to write one.**

**Bye :D**

**~Pheria~ **


	3. Chapter 3: The Abduction

**The third part of 'The Marriage Agreement'. Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Gwendal yawned. He found himself in a not so familiar place. The place was indeed not his room, but somehow he felt like he knew the place. He could hear the seagulls cried not so far away from where he was and see the light of the setting sun went through the room's window and made the room bright red.

He massaged his temples, trying to regain full consciousness. _'Where is this?' he thought. _He tried to sit on the side of the bed and then, it took a few moment to finally get up since he had low blood pressure just like the rest of his kin. He walked towards the window and saw through it and he shook his head. He knew where he was.

_'Damn! I let my guard down," was what he thought. _And he turned his back to the window and went towards the door and got out of the room. As he expected, the room wasn't locked.

Gwendal knew exactly where he was heading. He was walking very fast, like he was impatient to get to his destination. The wrinkles on his temples showed themselves boldly and he clenched his fists as he went on his way, sometimes murmuring 'Damn, damn!'. And when he reached his destination, he slammed the door open. He knew, it wasn't polite to do that, but what his abductor did to him was much much more impolite.

"Anissina!" he exclaimed. "You... you...," he tried to contained his anger as he went towards the red-haired woman direction. "Why did you bring me here?! I told you I would help you making some war strategies and how to manage things here while you guys are in war. And you said, you were okay with that!"

Anissina tried to stay cool, "We couldn't go through this only by theories, Gwendal," she said with her voice rather loud, she was doing her best holding back from screaming back at him. "The only one who can use magic to protect this place is just me, and I couldn't manage by my own. Even though I made several weapon to defense this place, not so many of those weapons actually work. Do you understand that I, Anissina von Karbelnikoff, am on crisis and I need my best friend, Gwendal von Voltaire, to help me?"

"No, I don't!" he said coldly. "I don't want to interfere with your problems and now-"

She slapped him. Then, it was silent.

"You just did what!?" he asked. A stupid question, he realized, but it was just to make sure that it wasn't just his dream.

"I slapped you, stupid," Anissina fiercely told him. "Now, my problems just became yours, your Excellency!"

"I don't want to be your fiance!" he exclaimed. "I am being nice to you today Anissina, I'll consider that never happened!"

"You can't!" she cried. "You have to be my fiance until this war is over!"

"You only think of using me! Ah! Why did I ever think of you as my friend!?" he said as he shook his head. "That slap never happened, you hear me!?"

"It happened," another voice said and Gwendal turned his eyes to the source. "My sister just slapped you," the red-haired man said as he entered the room.

"Densham!" Gwendal muttered. "You two, you set this up!"

Anissina giggled. "You'd better become my fiance or I'll send my father's letter to Lady Celi and she would definitely force you to marry me. I wouldn't want that, if I were you," she threatened him. "Now, will you just help us? And we'll consider this never happened after this war is over."

Gwendal clenched his teeth once again, he was going to say something but he didn't let it out. After a moment of silence between the three of them, Gwendal took a deep breath and pounded the table next to him with his fist.

"I'll take that as okay," Anissina said and slyly smiled at him.

* * *

After Gwendal was feeling better, Densham and Anissina asked him to have dinner with them and he agreed to have dinner with his abductors because he was too hungry to decline their offer. His face was still reflecting anger within him, but Anissina and Densham didn't really care as long as he agreed to help them.

"Gwendal," Anissina started and he turned his eyes from his food to her. "If it's only some people trying to attack us, we won't need the best tactician here. I could manage to defense this place on my own. But, there was something different, I think they got someone strong aiding them. Their soldiers looked like they couldn't feel any pain at all though they'd been beaten several times, and they kept on attacking without fear. That makes our soldiers lose their morale. To tell you the truth I actually know their weakness, but I can't defeat them myself. There are too many of them."

"So, what is their weakness?" Gwendal asked.

"My thunder," Anissina quickly replied, like she was waiting for him to ask. "My magic will make them regain their consciousness. They would be able to feel pain and start feeling fear again after I use my thunder, I guess it was because of the electric shock."

"So, why don't you build a machine to generate that thunder of yours into an enormous amount and attack them?" Gwendal asked her.

"I thought of that too, of course. But, the thunder generated from a machine didn't have the same effect," she said. "Their soldiers will keep on attacking after the machine generated thunder struck them."

"So, you need more people who can use thunder magic to defeat these guys, right?" Gwendal confirmed, Anissina nodded. And he continued, "And I don't have that thunder magic, Anissina, Densham."

"You do know that not so many noble families like us, right, Gwendal?" Densham finally had his turn to speak.

Gwendal didn't answer and let Densham continued, "And those who support us will not want to help us, just like you. And our father's letter became the reason why we finally decided to ask for your help. You won't be able to refuse us as long as we have that marriage agreement."

"Hmph," Gwendal he turned away from the two siblings.

"Don't be mad, Gwendal," Anissina said. "Remember, I taught you how to knit, think of this as returning that favor."

"I'll help you, but, no one must know that I'm backing you guys up," he said.

"I don't mind if they know, Anissina has become your fiancee after all," Densham said, smiling at Gwendal, then Anissina, teasing them.

"Brother!" Anissina exclaimed.

"Alright, alright," Densham said. "No one shall know about this marriage agreement, and we shall make it void when the war is over."

* * *

Anissina knocked on Gwendal's door. "Gwendal," she called him, "I'm going in."

She opened the door and found him knitting a bear, or perhaps, a cat that looked like a bear. She went to approach him and sat next to him on the side of his bed.

"I thought, I locked the door," he said, as he continued on knitting his 'cat'.

She giggled. "I guess, you're not fully conscious yet."

He didn't say anything.

Anissina stopped her giggling and cleared her throat. "Gwendal, I'd like to apologize to you about all of this. I'm sorry to give you drink with good-sleep-good-dream-kun inside and bring you here without your permission."

She had the guilty expression on her which was very unlike her and sometimes, Gwendal just didn't like her having that expression on her usually cheerful face. He had to say something to change that, or he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his knitting.

"Aren't you going to apologize for involving me in your problems and slapping my cheek?" he asked coldly.

"Of course not!" she said, and the usual proud Anissina returned, "I just saved you from marrying me, my friend."

"Or to be exact, you just saved yourself from marrying me," Gwendal corrected her and he chuckled.

She grinned. "Alright, alright, you're right. Well, looks like you've forgiven me," she said. Gwendal looked at her and gave the do-I-have-a-choice look. Anissina was surprised that he forgave her so quick and thanked him inside her heart. "I hope you sleep well, because from tomorrow on we're going to have tough days."

Anissina rose from her sitting position and went towards the door. "Good night, Gwendal," she said and softly closed the door behind her.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

**Well, I don't have much to say but, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as well. **

**Sorry if there are mistakes in grammar or words usage. :(**

**Thanks for reading and just drop a review if you want to say something about this fic.**

**~Pheria~**


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